Most Americans don’t get enough fiber. It’s not easy incorporating fibrous foods into our diets when grabbing readily made products is just so much more convenient. And let’s be real, it’s hard counting portion sizes and calculating how much fiber you’re actually getting. So here lies the power of seeds.
Three seeds that I find easy to eat are: chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds. All three seeds are generally flavorless to mildly flavored such that they don’t overpower any particular recipes. They are full of antioxidants, good fats, protein, and fiber. Typically, I buy my chia seeds and flax seeds at Aldi. At my local Aldi, a 12-ounce bag of chia seeds costs a little over $5 whereas a 16-ounce bag of flax seeds costs between $3 and $4. I buy my pumpkin seeds at Costco, where a 22-ounce bag is generally under $12. With seeds, a little goes a long way.
Ways I eat these seeds include:
- I add chia seeds and milled flax seeds to oatmeal. You can buy milled flax seeds or if you prefer, you can grind flax seeds in a coffee bean grinder.
- I add chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds to cottage cheese with fruit. My favorite cottage cheeses are the ones without added gums. Many cottage cheese producers add gums to bulk up their products, but I find that to be too chemical of a process.
- I add chia seeds and milled flax seeds to yogurts. To me, milled flax seeds add the perfect texture to yogurts.
- Chia seeds and milled flax seeds also go well in smoothies.
- In salads, pumpkin seeds add good crunch. And chia seeds can be sprinkled atop as well without dramatically changing the flavor or texture of the salad.
These are my favorites ways to incorporate seeds into my diet. What’s yours? Feel free to shoot me a message in the “Contact Me” section.